Marine suspension system

Abstract

A seat module suspension system for a high-speed water vessel including a guide assembly for permitting a range of substantially vertical travel of the seat module, an air shock within the guide assembly for resiliently suspending the seat module; and a support assembly extending for impeding athwart movement of a forward projecting portion of the seat module. The support assembly includes a spar pivotally mounted at one end the base of the guide assembly and pivotally mounted at the other end to a mount attached to the underside of the forward projecting portion and configured to permit fore and aft movement, so as to accommodate substantially vertical movement of the seat module. The system also includes a second air shock connected to the support assembly to impede the fore and aft movement and thus support the forward projecting portion of the seat module.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A marine suspension system for a water vessel having forward and aft directions and athwart dimensions, the marine suspension system comprising:
 a seat module having a proximal carriage and a distal projection; 
 a guide assembly having a bottom for fixing to a water vessel, the guide assembly engaged with the carriage so as to define a reciprocating path of movement for the seat module; 
 a first shock absorbing device for resiliently suspending the seat module relative to the guide assembly, wherein the first shock absorbing device tends to cause the seat module to remain in an upper at-rest position on the path of movement and to return to the at-rest position on cessation of a force causing the seat module to move generally vertically towards a lower position on the path of movement; 
 a support assembly interposed between the vicinity of the bottom of the guide assembly and the distal projection, for resisting athwart movement of the distal projection. 
 
     
     
       2. The marine suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the support assembly comprises:
 a spar assembly having a spar assembly proximal end in the vicinity of the bottom of the guide assembly and a spar assembly distal end proximate the distal projection; 
 a simple pivot connector at one of the spar assembly proximal end and the spar assembly distal end; and 
 a fore-and-aft movement connector at the other one of the spar assembly proximal end and the spar assembly distal end. 
 
     
     
       3. The marine suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the support assembly comprises:
 a spar assembly having a spar assembly proximal end in the vicinity of the bottom of the guide assembly and a spar assembly distal end proximate the distal projection; 
 a simple pivot connector at the spar assembly proximal end; and 
 a fore-and-aft movement connector at the spar assembly distal end. 
 
     
     
       4. The marine suspension system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the spar assembly distal end has a distal end athwart dimension; 
 the spar assembly proximal end has a proximal end athwart dimension; and 
 the resisting athwart movement of the distal projection is at least in part provided by the proximal end athwart dimension being greater than the distal end athwart dimension. 
 
     
     
       5. The marine suspension system of  claim 3 , wherein the fore-and-aft movement connector provides for pivotal and linear movement of the spar assembly distal end relative to the distal projection. 
     
     
       6. The marine suspension system of  claim 5 , wherein the fore-and-aft movement connector comprises a sliding assembly comprising:
 a track assembly mounted to the distal projection; 
 a car assembly in sliding engagement with the track assembly and pivotally connected to the spar assembly distal end. 
 
     
     
       7. The marine suspension system of  claim 3 , wherein the fore-and-aft movement connector provides for pivotal and arcuate movement of the spar assembly distal end relative to the distal projection. 
     
     
       8. The marine suspension system of  claim 7 , wherein the fore-and-aft movement connector comprises a pivoting assembly comprising:
 a pivot mount attached to the distal projection; and 
 a pivot block having an upper block section pivotally mounted to the pivot mount and a lower block section pivotally connected to the spar assembly distal end. 
 
     
     
       9. The marine suspension system of  claim 3 , further comprising a second shock absorber device interposed between the spar assembly distal end and the distal projection, to support the distal projection by resiliently impeding forward movement of the spar assembly distal end. 
     
     
       10. The marine suspension system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a deck mount to which the guide assembly is attached, wherein the simple pivot connector at the spar assembly proximal end in the vicinity of the bottom of the guide assembly, is provided by the deck mount; and 
 a second shock absorber device interposed between the spar assembly and the deck mount, to support the distal projection by resiliently impeding forward movement of the spar assembly distal end. 
 
     
     
       11. The marine suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the path of movement for the seat module is linear. 
     
     
       12. The marine suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the distal projection comprises one or more of: a vessel control module, a communications module and a navigation module. 
     
     
       13. A marine suspension system for a water vessel having forward and aft directions and athwart dimensions, the marine suspension system comprising:
 a deck mount for fixing to a water vessel and providing a simple pivotal mount; 
 a seat module having a proximal carriage and a distal projection; 
 a guide assembly having a bottom attached to the deck mount in the vicinity of the simple pivotal mount, and the guide assembly engaged with the carriage no as to define a linear reciprocating path of movement for the seat module; 
 a first shock absorbing device interposed between the carriage and the deck mount, for resiliently suspending the seat module, wherein the first shock absorbing device tends to cause the seat module to remain in an upper at-rest position on the path of movement and to return to the at-rest position on cessation of a force causing the seat module to move generally vertically towards a lower position on the path of movement; 
 a support assembly for resisting athwart movement of the distal projection, the support assembly comprising:
 a fore-and-aft movement connector attached to the distal projection; and 
 a spar assembly comprising a spar assembly proximal end pivotally mounted at the simple pivotal mount and a spar assembly distal end pivotally connected to the fore-and-aft movement connector; 
 
 a second shock absorbing device interposed. between the spar assembly distal end and the distal projection, to support the distal projection by resiliently impeding forward movement of the spar assembly distal end. 
 
     
     
       14. The marine suspension system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the spar assembly distal end has a distal end athwart dimension; 
 the spar assembly proximal end has a proximal end athwart dimension; and 
 the resisting athwart movement of the distal projection is at least in part provided by the proximal end athwart dimension being greater than the distal end athwart dimension. 
 
     
     
       15. The marine suspension system of  claim 13 , wherein the fore-and-aft movement connector comprises a pivoting assembly comprising:
 a pivot mount attached to the distal projection; and 
 a pivot block having:
 an upper block section pivotally mounted to the pivot mount; and 
 a lower block section; 
 
 wherein the pivotal connection of the spar assembly distal end to the fore-and-aft movement connector comprises a pivotal connection of the spar distal end to the lower block section. 
 
     
     
       16. The marine suspension system of  claim 13 , wherein the fore-and-aft movement connector comprises:
 a track assembly mounted to the distal projection; and 
 a car assembly in sliding engagement with the track assembly; 
 wherein the pivotal connection of the spar assembly distal end to the fore-and-aft movement connector comprises a pivotal connection of the spar distal end to the car assembly. 
 
     
     
       17. The marine suspension system of  claim 13 , wherein the deck mount is configured to orient the guide assembly so that the linear reciprocating path of movement for the seat module is tilted aft 10 degrees from vertical with the water vessel at rest and at a desired trim. 
     
     
       18. The marine suspension system of  claim 17 , wherein the spar assembly has a range of pivotal movement relative to the simple pivotal mount, the range being, with the water vessel at rest and at a desired trim, tilted forward from vertical about 52 degrees to tilted forward from vertical about 88 degrees. 
     
     
       19. The marine suspension system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the simple pivotal mount defines a spar assembly proximal end pivot axis; 
 the pivotal connection between the spar assembly distal end and the fore-and-aft movement connector defines a spar assembly distal end pivot axis; 
 the spar assembly proximal end pivot axis and the spar assembly distal end pivot axis are substantially parallel one to the other and are spaced apart about 22 inches; 
 the first shock absorbing device has a travel of about 12 inches; and 
 the second shock absorbing device has a travel of about 2½ inches. 
 
     
     
       20. The marine suspension system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first shock absorbing device is an air shock that in use has an operating pressure of about 65 psi; and 
 the second shock absorbing device is an air shock that in use has an operating pressure of about 150 psi.